Turkish Airlines said it will buy as many as 225 Boeing aircraft, outlining one of the year’s largest commercial jet commitments and signaling a deepening commercial thaw between Ankara and Washington.
The announcement came a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met President Donald Trump at the White House.
In a filing to the Istanbul stock exchange, the flag carrier said its board approved the purchase of 75 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, split between 50 firm orders and 25 options, with deliveries scheduled from 2029 through 2034.
The company also said it has completed negotiations with Boeing for 150 737 MAX 8 and MAX 10 aircraft, of which 100 are firm and 50 are options, but the narrowbody portion of the package will be placed once talks with engine supplier CFM International conclude.
Turkish Airlines framed the order as central to a plan to shift its fleet to new-generation aircraft by 2035 and to support average annual growth of about 6%.
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That timetable matters for network planners on both sides of the Atlantic, since the airline has been expanding aggressively into the United States and Canada while building Istanbul into a long-haul hub.
Erdoğan’s Washington visit on Thursday focused on defense and trade issues.
Media accounts noted Trump’s openness to easing certain restrictions on military sales as part of a wider reset, even as the commercial aviation pact moved forward on a separate track.
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The airline did not disclose pricing, and Boeing did not immediately publish a corresponding order update.
Engines and timing
The widebody tranche still requires separate engine arrangements. Turkish Airlines said it is negotiating with Rolls-Royce and GE Aerospace for the Dreamliners’ engines, spare engines, and maintenance coverage.
The 737 MAX orders hinge on a deal with CFM International, the joint venture between GE and Safran that powers Boeing’s reengined narrowbody.
Until those agreements are signed, the Boeing package remains partially contingent, particularly on the single-aisle side.
For Boeing, the commitment represents a strategic win in a crucial market where the manufacturer has faced competitive pressure from Airbus and heightened regulatory scrutiny at home.
A large Dreamliner placement stretches the widebody skyline into the next decade and provides additional momentum in long-haul recovery, while the prospective MAX additions would deepen Boeing’s presence in a fleet that also includes Airbus narrowbodies.
The order also gives Boeing greater visibility on production planning at a moment when the company is working to stabilize output and assure customers of delivery timelines.
Investors will watch two near-term markers, First is the conclusion of engine talks, which will convert the 737 MAX portion from negotiated to executed orders and lock in delivery slots.
Second is how the airline sequences arrivals relative to airport infrastructure and route rights, since Turkish Airlines has been quick to deploy new frames on North American growth routes.
The carrier’s plan to shift entirely to new-generation aircraft by 2035, if achieved, would likely lower fuel burn and emissions intensity, with knock-on effects for operating costs and capacity discipline.
The disclosure caps months of speculation that Ankara would anchor a marquee Boeing purchase during a high-profile US visit.
It follows December’s Airbus megadeal on the other side of the ledger, reinforcing Turkish Airlines’ strategy of balancing the fleet between manufacturers while using scale to negotiate better terms on aircraft and engines.
With geopolitical ties back in the foreground, the airline’s buying power is once again doubling as economic diplomacy.
